Posts Tagged ‘apples’

Q: How did your crops do over the winter/spring?
A: With our three frost fans & extra care, we were able to save about 20% of most crops, overall. (Apricots & some specific orchard sites froze out completely.)
Q: How will you have enough fruit for the market?
A: We usually grow specialty crop fruit on our farm in large enough quantities to supply our market, and also to sell some to other farm markets. Our biggest crops (several varieties of apples, and tart cherries) are grown in much larger quantities, and we take the vast majority of these crops to processors.
This year, almost all of our specialty crop fruit will be sold only here at our market, and the processors will not be receiving as much fruit from us as usual.
Q: Why are your prices higher this year?
A: Although we have about 20% of a crop overall, our expenses are not that much lower (perhaps 80% of usual). Think about it: If you worked 50 hours/week at $10/hour, you would make $500/week. If you were able to pay your bills, and put a little aside, you’d be satisfied. But what if you had a pay cut, working 50 hours & only getting $100/week–would you be able to pay your bills? Even if you doubled that, you’d be unhappy. We aren’t even doubling our prices.

According to a number of our customers, our SweeTango(R) apples are better than the ones they have purchased elsewhere. This is interesting, since one objective of having a managed variety is to keep the quality standards up, no matter where the fruit is purchased. Perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising, though, if you think about it. Dave works hard to grow the best quality apples that he can, and spends a lot of time with the crew at harvest to ensure gentle handling. The apples are promptly stored in our cooler. When we take the apples to the market, it’s just a short little drive, and then our staff continue the gentle handling that prevents bruising. The apples have traveled perhaps a mile from the tree to the consumer.

Contrast that with the grower who has to truck his apples long distances to a packing house, which then sorts and bags them and puts them in another truck to go to a store. Bumpity-bump go the trucks over the roads. The apples may get put in a large bin in the store, where customers can handle them roughly. Hmmm. No wonder there can be a qualitative difference. There is nothing that’s quite as good as fresh from the orchard!

If you are looking for a great apple, look no further! Dave grows an amazing number of apple varieties for the market. My favorite? SweeTango(R) is so flavorful, crisp, and juicy that it is hard to beat! It’s not only a great fresh apple, but also adds a special note to salads and makes wonderful apple crisp and pie. If you haven’t tried SweeTango(R) apples yet, you owe it to your taste buds to give them a try! We hope to have them for another month or so (depending upon demand).

Just visit Rennhack Orchards Market from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday (we’re open through Dec. 30) and you can try an apple that is new to you! Just inside the front doors (to your left) is a nice long shelf covered with apple varieties to sample. From old favorites like Cortland, to newer varieties like Honeycrisp(TM) and SweeTango(R), from A (Ambrosia) to Z (Zestar!), there is sure to be a variety that suits you! And remember those out-of-town friends and relatives who would love to receive a taste of Oceana County from you–we ship apples as well as gift baskets! Happy munching!

What perfect weather for the Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Cook-Off Festival last Saturday, September 10! I cored & sliced six varieties of apples all day long, for festival attendees to sample. We had our own SweeTango(R), Honeycrisp, Zestar!, Elstar, Gingergold, and Chestnut apples for sale and for sampling. By day’s end, I had about eight gallons of apple cores–that’s a lot of slicing! It was a fun day. We saw many friends there, and met many new people.